Asking for Help finding Step Van Parts-salvage yards?

[Tinker Rising]

Hello all!

I bought a 1992 Chevrolet P30 Step Van with a Union City body for those reading that know what that means. I'm having trouble finding body parts to the point that people I speak with (salvage yards) are often confused about what a step van is. It's rather pointless to hold a conversation with someone who can't understand what vehicle you're talking about!



There are three things I'm concerned with for the moment but there will be more items down the road.

Bulkhead/ Cargo Partition- it doesn't have one and I need to add it. I won't be satisfied with a DIY wood frame- I want AND need a metal partition of the type that go in many of these from the factory. I'll include the photo below for an example of what I'm talking about.



The other two items are related- the front headlight bezels and radiator grille. They are made of plastic and are disintegrating. It won't be long before the bezels fall off the truck.   This same grille was used on the step vans for many years and used later in the "workhorse" series when Union City was bought out, yet it seems impossible to find!



Am I simply looking in the wrong places? What's the secret?!?! I could really use some help on this one!

Thanks to all!

I'm in the Denver Metro area if you are wondering.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would get ahold of these guys and ask them.

https://www.millsupply.com/stepvan-identification.php


it seems to me the divider wall should be almost universal or close enough. as far as the grill and headlight bezels I would just make my own. highdesertranger

 

[Tinker Rising]

Thanks for the reply highdesertranger, been there, done that with mills supply. No luck there. Rock auto also.

On the cargo partition I'm with you. I'm completely willing to rework a partition from a different van. I have yet to locate a single step van in my area in a salvage yard, or being parted out. That's regardless of manufacturer. Obviously some would work better than others.

Making my own? Yes, it might come to that.

Fairly easy for the grille, less so for the bezels.

The partition would be doable, I might even be able to improve on the original but if I could start with a design someone else has worked out the kinks in I might be ahead of the game.  I've never even looked at another design closely. I guess I could do some "window shopping" for step vans, but I dislike the false pretense. I like to be honest in my dealings. Wasting a salesperson's time falls outside of my values.(not suggesting that was your idea)

PS- I also need a extra rim or two 16x6.5 I think.

It just seems I'm looking in the wrong places and that's my problem, but I can't tell, hence the post.

 

[highdesertranger]

for the rims you also need the number of lugs and the off set. the lugs are easy count them the off set is stamped into the rim somewhere sometimes you have to dismount the tire. have you tried medium truck wrecking yards? highdesertranger

 

[Tinker Rising]

for the rims you also need the number of lugs and the off set.  the lugs are easy count them the off set is stamped into the rim somewhere sometimes you have to dismount the tire.  have you tried medium truck wrecking yards?  highdesertranger

Sorry I was assuming too much as you correctly point out. I know it's an 8 lug, don't know the offset. One more thing to figure out. I'll be removing tires to work on brakes soon so I'll watch out for that.

I called the only medium duty yard I know of and they said that step vans fall in the crack between conventional and medium duty yards. You are right to suggest it though. I will try to find more of that type of yard. I might also try tow companies to find out what happens to step vans when they go to heaven. They must go somewhere after all.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[highdesertranger]

I imagine the aluminum body ones go straight to the scrap yard. highdesertranger

 

[closeanuf]

Is there and number on the bezel itself?  Sometimes the number is cast into the park itself probably on the inside.

 

[Beeps and eats]

The headlights might be the same as van's of it's year I would check on that one.
The partition would be easy to fabricate
And probably cost less. It was just square stock and sheet covering. The door was the same with rollers on top and a guide track on the bottom.

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[Beeps and eats]

I can check Mill Supply out for you they are only four miles from me.

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[Zoomyn]

Chev passed off step-off vans, handed down to somebody somebody in 1998 then on to Navistar in 2005 then on to AMP who still make them as 'Workhorse Group Incorporated' Electric Vehicles...

Finding places that carry early Workhorse could get your cross-reference parts perhaps...

P30 was also sold as 'GMC Value Van'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workhorse_Group

 

[John61CT]

Workhorse with 8.1L gasser, monster strong for any loads including towing.

Ex Snap-on, well maintained.

Watch that rear end on corners!

 

[7wanders]

I've found random step vans in junk yards. in one junk yard in Fresno we found six step vans. it is a hit or miss thing.

some keys are to ask bout "Bread Trucks" or "Delivery Vans". often they will know those names/terms

as others have mentioned, Mill Supply is the single best source for about half of the items you'll need. other parts can be found by sourcing whoever made the chassis or the box top. mine is frieghtliner so I have better luck on some items direct from them. for you that might be Chevy

I found a metal partition in the backyard of one of my youtube subscribers and we pulled it out of a dead Grumman step van. I'm guessing if you keep looking long enough you'll find one in a junk yard. looking at mine, I think any welder could make one as it is just four pieces of square tubing and a sheet of expanded metal mesh.

also recommend you join the "step van RV" group on facebook. lots of folks on there know of junk yards and have access to parts you might want like the grill or partition.

I'm guessing you've already seen the big 3 you tubers with step van RVs: 1) http://bit.ly/2aC7LqG 2) Paul Barger and 3) Sylvan Secrets. if not, they may be good resources for many issues or questions you will encounter

 

[Bobhdus]

Stepvan stuff gets harder to find the older it gets. I’m working on my GMC Value Van (aka P3500) which is the GMC version of the Chevy Stepvan (aka P30). Mines a 74 and finding parts for it are a real booger minus the electric/ engine tranny stuff anyways which are fairly standard. With the body stuff though, I’m just cutting and fabricating and welding new stuff in as you can’t find panels that match it anymore. Good luck!

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[maki2]

I see partions show up in the craigslist auto parts category now and again. I have also seen them on the free stuff section of craigslist.

But you could get some aluminum angle and some mesh material and fabricate your own divider. Or for even less money get some steel angle and mesh. They are not made from heavy duty, thick angle stock. Just go to a step van dealer and take some photos and measurements. If you have even modest skills and a harbor freight angle grinder you can cut the materials to size and have a welder zap it together.

As to being honest about your intention not to buy a step van from a dealer. No need for dishonesty, tell them what you want to do and why you want to do it. People are generally very supportive and nice. The truth is that if the dealer lot is not busy the salesperson might enjoy not having to give you a sales pitch but instead just get enjoyment out of helping someone for something as simple as taking a few photos and measurements.

I needed to get a letter of appraisal for the value of my vintage fixer travel trailer from an official RV dealer. The licensing agency would not transfer the title into the state or register it without that. So I drove 45 minutes up the old main highway until I saw a used RV dealer. I explained that the frame on it was so bad I could not take it anywhere to get it appraised. He asked me the value, wrote it down on his letter head with the relevant information and said here you go. He had customers on the lot but he took the time to do it. He would not even accept coffee money from me. So your fears of needing to deceive someone are not realistic. You just tell them the truth and they will most likely help you without any resentment.

 

[Sasnak]

LQK is a huge auto junkyard. If they don’t have anything in their inventory they might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Check car-part.com. It is a site that links basically every salvage yard, and allows regional or national searches for parts. That said, I'm not sure if it includes step vans or just passenger vehicles. I've found the site very useful in the past.

Good luck!

Craig